lesson 20 - section 1

The island of Cuba, located in the Caribbean Sea, is a mere 90 miles off the coast of Florida. In 1492, Christopher Columbus founded Cuba as a Spanish colony. The island later became one of the world's leading sugar producers, and hundreds of thousands of people were enslaved to work on its plantations. For over three centuries, Cuba was part of Spain's vast empire, but by the late 1800s, there were only two Spanish colonies left in the Americas: the islands of Puerto Rico and Cuba. A growing independence movement was now threatening Spanish rule in Cuba as well.

Cubans Struggle for Independence During the 1800s, many Cubans voiced a desire for self-rule. In 1868, a revolutionary group largely made up of poor White, free Black, and enslaved people demanded independence from Spain, the establishment of a republic, and the abolition of slavery. When Spain rejected these demands, bitter fighting ensued. Although the revolt was eventually crushed, Spain attempted to ease further tensions by agreeing to limited reforms, granting Cubans some representation in the government and abolishing slavery in 1886.

Meanwhile, American business interests viewed Cuba as a good place to trade and invest, and the island began to come under the United States' economic influence. By the mid-1890s, American business had invested millions of dollars in Cuba's sugar plantations, so American investors were therefore nervous about the island's political instability.

Despite limited reforms, the uneasy political situation did not drastically improve, and Cubans rebelled again in 1895. Cubans' second struggle for independence was led by José Martí, a Cuban poet, journalist, and statesman. Forced to leave Cuba due to his revolutionary activities, Martí lived in the United States from 1881 to 1895. Even while abroad, Martí inspired his fellow Cubans with calls for liberty. He wrote, "Like bones to the human body … so is liberty the essence of life. Whatever is done without it is imperfect." Martí sailed to Cuba in 1895 to lead the revolt but was soon killed in combat. Nevertheless, the rebellion continued.

The Cuban rebels engaged in guerrilla warfare, launching surprise attacks against Spanish forces before retreating into the countryside. In 1896, Spain sent a new commander, General Valeriano Weyler, to put down the uprising. To eliminate support for the rebels, Weyler forced tens of thousands of Cubans into reconcentration camps. These overcrowded, unsanitary prison camps provided little food or shelter, resulting in thousands of deaths from disease and starvation.

Many Americans sympathized with the rebellion, viewing Cubans' struggle for freedom as similar to the American Revolution. Meanwhile, American investors feared that continuing political unrest put their Cuban investments and property at risk. Despite public calls for the United States to intervene in Cuba, President Grover Cleveland followed a policy of strict neutrality. When William McKinley was elected president in 1896, he too hoped to maintain neutrality. However, neutrality would become increasingly difficult to sustain as public outcry for the United States to assist the rebels heightened.

American Newspapers React Most Americans learned about the events in Cuba by reading newspapers and magazines. At that time, these were the only forms of mass media—methods of communicating to a mass audience.

Newspapers were very popular in the late 1800s. However, with the trend of yellow journalism on the rise, many publications were not careful in the accuracy of their reporting. Publishers like Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst sensationalized the news to sell newspapers, and both the New York World and the New York Journal believed reporting on the Cuban rebellion was an opportunity to gain new readers. Reporters and artists were encouraged to exaggerate the bravery of Cuban rebels and the horrors of Spanish rule, especially "Butcher" Weyler's brutality. Many American readers were shocked by these reports, and some demanded that the United States assist Cuba in winning their independence. Thus, yellow journalism helped stir public support for U.S. intervention. This sensationalist approach not only influenced public opinion but also played a crucial role in shaping U.S. foreign policy decisions during the late 19th century.